Post_Office_1957-1958 — Page 16

47. In the 10 days preceding Christmas Day, more than 3,200,000 items passed through the cancelling machines. These covered about 60% of all local postings, indicating a total posting of well above 5,000,000 items.

48. The record for a single day was achieved on December 23rd when 710,000 items were dealt with, as against the 1956 record of 611,700.

49. Despatches of Christmas mail overseas also produced new record figures, with increases of 14% in parcels, 66% in ordinary mail and 36% in registered mail over the 1956/57 figures. In the peak 10 day period, 25,831 bags of mail were handled, including despatches of 2,617 bags of air mail weighing over 28 tons.

50. The increase in popularity of posting Chinese New Year greeting cards necessitated the employment of 30 temporary mail coolies. No less than 1,689,830 items were posted during the 6 day period as compared with 1,500,000 items in the previous year.

DELIVERY ARRANGEMENTS

51. A twice daily delivery, including Saturdays but not Sundays, was maintained in most areas and extended to the town areas of Yuen Long and Tsuen Wan.

52. Surveys of delivery beats continued in line with the erection of new multi-storey buildings and various types of housing estates.

53. It was necessary to introduce a number of new delivery sections and plans for still further delivery sections were put in hand.

54. Sorting of mail for delivery in the Sham Shui Po area was transferred to the Sham Shui Po District Post Office in June, 1957.

55. The revision of mail despatching schedules to the New Territories offices enabled a restricted second delivery to be undertaken daily in the built-up areas of Yuen Long and Tsuen Wan, and more frequent despatches and collections to be made throughout the New Territories.

56. Additional transport secured during the year came as a much needed relief and resulted in improved efficiency in collections, despatch of mails to and from offices, and the transport of delivery postmén. A total of approximately 240,000 miles was covered by the vehicles.

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